


By Your Side

by bayoublackjack



Series: Stars & Stripes Forever [19]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Hurt Steve, Jack Harkness Flirts, POV Martha Jones, Protectiveness, Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-02
Updated: 2015-07-02
Packaged: 2018-04-07 07:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4255014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayoublackjack/pseuds/bayoublackjack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being contacted by Sam about Steve’s condition, Martha rushes to the hospital to be by his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Side

As soon as Martha finished listening to Sam’s message, she rushed over to the George Washington University Hospital with Jack in tow.  Maintaining a tight grip on Jack’s hand, they jumped out of their taxi and tore through the halls of the trauma center.

“Excuse me.  Can you tell me what room Steve Rogers is in?” she asked someone at the nurse’s station.

“Are you family?” the attendant questioned.

“Yes,” Martha answered without hesitation.

“Martha?” a voice came from over her shoulder.

Martha let go of Jack’s hand and turned to see a man who she recognized as the one that was taken into custody along with Steve and Natasha.  “Sam?”

Sam nodded and extended his hand to her.  “Sorry we have to meet like this,” he said.  “But the way he talks about you, I figured he’d want you here.”

“Thank you,” Martha replied as she gave his hand a grateful squeeze.  “This is my best mate, Jack.”

“Captain Jack Harkness,” he introduced himself.

Sam released Martha’s hand and offered his to Jack.  “Sam Wilson.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam Wilson,” Jack said with his signature smile as he took Sam’s hand.

Martha sighed softly.  “Seriously, Jack?  You’re flirting  _now_ ?”

“I was only saying hello!” Jack insisted.

“That’s how it starts with you,” Martha retorted with a ghost of a smile that faded away completely once she returned her attention back to Sam.  “Where is he?  Can I see him?”

“He’s just over here,” Sam told them and led the way down the hallway to Steve’s room.

Martha glanced at Steve through the doorway.  He was all battered and bruised and the sight of him caused her stomach to lurch.  “What have the doctors said?  Is there any news?  Any progress?”

Sam followed her eyes to Steve.  “He was in and out of consciousness when they first brought him in, but I figure they’re probably giving him some strong stuff after the beating he took.”

Martha nodded slowly.  “May I?”

“Yea.  Go ahead.”  Sam gestured for her to enter the room.  “I’ll give you two some space.  Probably get some coffee or something.  Do you need anything?”

Martha shook her head.  “No.  Thank you.”  Sam turned to walk away.  “Sam,” she called out, prompting him to glance back at her.  “Seriously.”  She exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in and managed a weak smile.  “Thank you for everything you’ve done.  He talks about you a lot as well.”

Sam met her smile with a modest one of his own.  “Anyone would have done the same.”  He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged.  “He’s a good guy.”

“No, anyone wouldn’t have done what you did,” Martha insisted.  “He  _is_ a good guy, but it seems to me that you’re a rather great man yourself.”

“Come on,” Jack said, guiding Sam away.  “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”

Martha watched them disappear around the corner before daring to enter the room.  She crept alongside of the bed at a snail’s pace and fought to keep in the tears that threatened to spill at a moment’s notice.  Taking a seat next to him, she slipped her hands around one his and sat with him in silence.

For the next few days, Martha kept constant vigil by Steve’s bed side until time came when either Jack or Sam would insist that she eat or go back to the hotel to wash up and get some sleep.  During one such respite, she got a call from Sam telling her that Steve had awakened from his coma and Martha didn’t waste any time rushing back to the hospital.

When she met Sam outside of Steve’s room, she pulled him into a tight hug, not unlike the ones she’d often bestow upon Tish and Leo.  She had grown to feel a strong sense of affection for Sam since their initial meeting, especially after she learned that he had a hand in searching for Steve amongst the wreckage.  “Is he still awake?” she asked.

Sam stepped back from the hug shaking his head.  “No, he zonked out not long after we got off the phone, but when I told him you were in town he was asking for you.”

Martha glanced at Steve’s sleeping form as she wrung her hands and chewed her bottom lip.  “How did he sound?  Did he sound like he was in a lot of pain or…”

Sam placed both of his hands on Martha’s shoulders, effectively easing her nervous energy.  “He sounded  _strong_ .”

Martha nodded once and gave Sam’s forearms a gently squeeze of gratitude before they pulled apart and she entered Steve’s room alone while Sam left to give them some privacy.  Martha took up her usual post by his side.  “Steve?  It’s Martha, love.  I’m here.”  She clasped his hand between both hers and brought it up to her lips for a tender kiss.  “I’m here,” she whispered against his skin.  She wasn’t sure if it was the contact or her words, but something seem to stir reaction because she felt Steve’s fingers slowly curl around hers.  Martha squeezed his hand tighter in response.  “Steve?”

Steve groaned softly.  “I must be worse off than I thought.”

“What?” Martha asked breathlessly and stared at him in confusion.  “What do you mean?” she demanded as she flew into doctor mode.  “Are you in pain?  Should I call for a nurse?”

His eyes opened slowly and immediately found hers.  “You called me Steve.”  The corner of his mouth twitched upwards.  “It  _must_ be serious.”

Martha breathed a sigh of relief and her worried expression relaxed into a smile.  “Would you prefer that I call you Cap again?”

“I’m just happy to hear your voice.”

“So am I, but you didn’t have to go and get yourself injured just to get my attention.  I thought we established that it wasn’t my thing,” she joked as she pulled one hand away from his to reach over and stroke his cheek.  “I’ve been going out of my head with worry since the story first broke and then when I couldn’t get in contact with you I feared the worst.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve replied weakly.  “It wasn’t safe for me to get you involved.  We weren’t sure who we could trust and I didn’t want any trails leading back to you.”

Martha’s thoughts drifted to her conversation with Secretary Pierce, but she decided that it would be better to wait and mention that after Steve had time to properly heal.  “I’m a lot tougher than I look,” she said in lieu of revealing that his attempt to keep her off Hydra’s radar had been for naught.

“I know, but I couldn’t stand the idea of you getting hurt because of me.”

“And I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt full stop.”  Her fingertips grazed the bruises that still marred his face.  “What the hell happened?”

“Hydra,” Steve answered.  “That was what caused the spilt.  Nick suspected something was up, but he couldn’t tell UNIT because he wasn’t sure how deep it ran.  Or how far.”

“No.  Not that.  I sorted that much on my own.  I mean what the hell happened to  _you_ ?” she clarified.  “Tell me who did this and whether or not I need to go kick their arse.”  Steve’s expression was full of a pain that Martha was certain had nothing to do with his physical condition.  “Was it someone we know?  A member of the S.T.R.I.K.E. or…”

“It was Bucky,” he confessed, cutting her off in the process.

Martha’s eyes went wide with shock.  “What?”

“It was Bucky,” Steve repeated with a heavy sigh.  “This, the attack on Fury and God knows what else.”

“How?” Martha pressed.  “You told me he died.  That he fell from a train when the war was still on.”

“Well I assumed that he  _had_ died.  But…once upon a time people assumed that I was dead too,” he pointed out.

“That  _is_ true,” Martha acknowledged.  “Okay, so let’s assume that Bucky somehow miraculously survived the fall and managed not to age for the last seventy years.  That doesn’t explanation why would he do this.  I mean I met him when we went back in time and I obviously don’t know him like you do, but nothing about him says he’d ever be capable of this sort of thing.”

“Hydra…” Steve began slowly and Martha gave his hand another reassuring squeeze.  “They experimented on him.  I’m not sure how, but they got into his head some way.”  Pain colored his features once more.  “He looked me in the eyes, Martha, and he had no idea who I was.  No idea who  _he_ was.”

“I’m so sorry, love,” Martha said, once again feeling helpless about what she could do to make things better for him.  “Where he is he now?”

“I don’t know, but wherever he is he’s probably confused…and alone.”

“Not for long,” Martha vowed.  “Rest assured that we  _will_ figure this out, alright?  Because I know you and I know that there is no way in hell that you’d  _ever_ give up on getting Bucky back now that you know he’s alive.  And I won’t either,” she promised.  “UNIT.  The Doctor.  Hell, I’d turn to the bloody Queen, if it came to it.  Whatever it takes,” she informed him with a warm smile.

Steve closed his eyes and squeezed her hand.  “Just having you here and knowing that I have your support is good enough for now,” he insisted.

“Of course you have my support.  Don’t you remember?” Martha asked while stroking his cheek again.  “We’re family now, you and I.  And the same for Sam and Bucky and Natasha and anyone else that’s important to you.  If I can help you, I’ll do  _everything_ in my power to make it happen.  Even when we aren’t together physically, I’ll always be by your side.”


End file.
